Ken Comber

Kenneth Mark Comber JP (20 January 1939 – 6 December 1998) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party, and an accountant.

Ken Comber
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Wellington Central
In office 25 November 1972 – 28 November 1981
Preceded by	Dan Riddiford
Succeeded by	Fran Wilde
Personal details
Born	20 January 1939 New Plymouth, New Zealand
Died	6 December 1998 Wellington, New Zealand
Political party	National
Spouse(s)	Diane Holyoake
Children	3
Alma mater	Victoria University
Profession	Accountant

Biography

Early life and career

Comber was born in New Plymouth in 1939. He received his education at St Joseph's Convent, New Plymouth Boys' High School, and Victoria University.[1] He married Diane Holyoake, a daughter of Sir Keith Holyoake, in 1966, and they had three children together. He was a senior rugby player, representing North Island Universities as a student, and was later a member of the Wellington Rugby Football Union's management committee.[2]

He trained as an accountant and was chief accountant for National Electric (1969–1972), and then general manager of John H. Walker and Co. Ltd (1972–1973).[1]

Political career

New Zealand Parliament
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1972–1975	37th	Wellington Central		National
1975–1978	38th	Wellington Central		National
1978–1981	39th	Wellington Central		National

Comber joined the National Party in 1967 and was the secretary of the Wellington Branch (1970–1972).[1] Holyoake "neither encouraged nor discouraged" Comber in his decision to seek the National nomination for Wellington Central when Dan Riddiford announced his retirement. Comber felt his father-in-law hadn't given him much chance of beating local lawyer Barry Brill for the candidacy, but he prevailed.[3] After a closely fought campaign, he trailed Labour candidate David Shand on election night by 51 votes but 12 days later after special votes were counted Comber overturned Shand's majority by 27 votes giving him the ironical nickname 'Landslide' in Parliament.[4] Despite the closeness of the result there was no hint of animosity between the two candidates and when he heard he had won Comber said he genuinely felt for his opponent.[3]

He represented the Wellington Central electorate in Parliament from 1972 to 1981,[5] when he was defeated by Labour's Fran Wilde.[6] In the Muldoon cabinet, he was under-secretary for Internal Affairs, Local Government, Recreation and Sport, Civil Defence, and Arts.[7] As an under-secretary he promoted physical fitness among MPs and encouraged flag-flying in workplaces to promote a sense of national pride.[3]

A conservative on most issues, Comber staunchly defended Muldoon's refusal to intervene on the issue of sporting contacts with South Africa. As he represented a well educated urban electorate this put him out of step with his liberally minded constituents, and contributed to his loss at the 1981 election following the divisive Springbok tour earlier that year.[3]

In 1977, Comber was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal, and in 1990 he received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.[8]

He made two attempts to win the centr-right Citizens' Association nomination to run for Mayor of Wellington. In 1992 he was successful, beating, the Citizens' leader on the council Les Stephens, Eastern Ward councillor Ruth Gotlieb, former councillor Bryan Weyburne and former mayor Ian Lawrence. Comber's win was labeled a surprise by the media.[9] The mayoralty race pitted him against Wilde in a "grudge match" repeat of 1981. Comber finished third with 15% of the vote to Wilde's 33%.[10]

Later life and death

In 1991 he was appointed chairman of the New Zealand Fire Service, holding the position until 1996 when he became commissioner.[3] In 1997 he was replaced by Roger Estall and Comber publicly opposed the appointment of Estall as his successor (which he first learned of over the radio news). He went as far as to resign from the National Party, to which he had belonged for 30 years, in protest calling the party "morally bankrupt" and glad that Holyoake was not alive to see the state of his old party. Comber said his disillusionment with National started in 1991, when it reneged on its pledge to scrap the superannuation surcharge, but was also disappointed by Prime Minister Jim Bolger's decision not to fully endorse Mark Thomas, National's Wellington Central candidate at the 1996 election.[11]

Comber died of cancer in Wellington on 6 December 1998, survived by his wife, two daughters and son.[2]

Notes

1. Gustafson 1986, p. 304.
2. "Former MP `astounding advocate'". The Dominion. 11 December 1998. p. 2.
3. Hawkins, Barry (10 December 1998). "Capital MP conscientious, conservative". Evening Post. p. 5.
4. "Kenneth 'Landslide' Comber". The Press. 10 December 1998. p. 7.
5. Wilson 1985, p. 190.
6. Wilson 1985, p. 245.
7. Wilson 1985, p. 102.
8. Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 104. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
9. "Citizens pick Comber for mayoralty". The Dominion. 18 March 1992.
10. Bly, Ross (1992). City of Wellington: Local Body Elections, 1992 (Report). Wellington City Council.
11. Boyd, Sarah (4 August 1997). "National 'morally bankrupt'". Evening Post. p. 2.

References

• Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Dan Riddiford	Member of Parliament for Wellington Central 1972–1981	Succeeded by Fran Wilde